Pictured: Some beautiful items from the Anne Fontaine Spring 2010 collection.
Anne Fontaine is one of my fashion sins. It’s pricey, but oh so beautiful. I discovered Anne Fontaine years ago on a trip to France, and I’ve been in love ever since. I don’t step into the stores very often, unless they are having a sale, because very serious damage can be done. Last week I was over at South Coast Plaza in the OC, and discovered to my delight that the Anne Fontaine spring collection is on sale for 30% off. Above are two of my favorites from the Spring collection, which are now on the sales racks: a long navy blue ruffled cardigan and a pleated navy top, which is perfect for the summer heat. For those of you not familiar with the brand, Anne Fontaine is a Brazilian designer of French descent who started her business making the most amazing white shirts. I remember seeing them in the window of a store in Cannes year ago, and like Daisy in The Great Gatsby, I gasped and thought they were the most beautiful shirts I had ever seen. The crisp Anne Fontaine white shirts were made from natural fabrics like poplin, cotton and pique. Later gorgeous double ruffles on collars and cuffs were added. Today Anne Fontaine makes much more than white shirts. The brand offers amazing handbags, jewelry, sweaters, floral tops, stretch lace tops and even fuschia blouses. And all of it is made with the same quality as the original Anne Fontaine tops. Below are two current objects of my shopping lust which are on my Anne Fontaine waitlist (until the next sale.) I’m saving for this romantic black blouse and gorgeous handbag. After all, a woman can’t live by discount goods and chain store fashion alone. I like to have some unique, and really well made items in my closet in addition to sale finds that may not be of the best quality.
Pictured: My current bête noire: Anne Fontaine’s beautiful romantic black top and stunning handbag. (photo M. Hall)
Right now select Anne Fontaine items are on sale for a discreet 30% off. And here’s an extra little savings tip. If you shop at South Coast Plaza, stop by the store concierge desk. It’s steps from the Anne Fontaine store. Ask for the “Passport to Savings.” If you live outside Orange County, you can use this passport for extra savings and discounts throughout all the stores in the mall. At Anne Fontaine, you will receive an extra 10% off. So naturally, I bought an Anne Fontaine short cardigan with ruffles at the collar and cuffs. It was on sales for 30%, with the passport I got an extra 10% off, so the total savings were 40% off of retail. Not bad. Sales personnel at the store were terrific. It’s so rare there is any customer service in stores these days. I dropped by the Michael Kors store in the mall before heading to Anne Fontaine, and the Kors sales staff seemed indifferent to most customers in the store. In contrast, the sales associate at Anne Fontaine, Karen , couldn’t have been more helpful. She bought various sizes to the fitting room, made recommendations and even offered to let me know when items I was lusting after would hit the sales racks. Talk about customer service! So few stores actually deliver that service any longer, especially if things are on sale. I totally enjoyed the Anne Fontaine sale and the in-store experience. If you are an Anne Fontaine lover look for the sale going on now at your local store. For the lowest prices, run a little search for Anne Fontaine on eBay. Every now and then you find a gem for a fraction of the retails price. Stay tuned for more Anne Fontaine updates. I hear she maybe visiting Southern California soon!
9 Comments